My Angel in the Dark
by Ishikawa Ran
Summary: Ren is a poor boy sold as a slave to Horokeu Usui... But is Horo as human as he makes himself out to be? Ch. 5!
1. And You Are

My Angel in the Dark

Author: Ran Ishikawa

Rating: R (Cos ff.net sucks!)

Summary: Hororen, AU… wee! Ren is a poor boy whose father beat him and sold him to a slave owner. The man he was sold to is no mere human however… He is an angel… and he only has until his last snow white feather falls from his bloody, beat and battered wings… to find and protect a lover…

*

Feather One: And You Are?

"Otousan… Iie!"

_Screams, tears._ All of this is common in the Tao household…

"'Tousan… please!'

_Thrust, pain._ Ren's eyes closed tightly. Pain shooting through out his entire body.

"D-Don't! Not there!"

_Cries, Darkness._ Ren's consciousness was slipping slowly.

"I-Iie… Otousan…"

*

When Ren's eyes finally opened he could barely stand. Locked in his room, again, he pulled himself up onto his poor excuse for a bed. 'This… is the third time this week…' He tried to sit up slowly. Pain shot up through his body again. He lay down again and gasped.

"It…hurts…" He refused to cry, however. He was always taught not to cry. If he cried he would be punished… like he was today… His father had caught the solitary tear he dares to let fall. He had wanted to be free from all of it… all the screaming, all the tears, the pain… all of it, gone…

His bedroom door swung open. "C'mon boy." His father stalked towards him.

He grabbed Ren's arm harshly and pulled him to the living. He was thrown onto a chair (wooden one mind you…) and he immediately turned red.

There was a man sitting strangely stiff on the couch. He glared lightly at Ren's father but it went unnoticed by the tall man. "He is the pretty one I told you about."

The man on the couched smiled. "I'll take him…"

Ren's eyebrow twitched. "N-Nani?"

En turned to Ren and slapped him across the face. "You have been too much of a nuisance to me, boy. I'm selling to this man because he has promised me a hefty sum for my prettiest child… Jun has already gone to live on her own, so I couldn't give her away… I'd say that you're getting the raw end of the deal, Usui-san…"

The man, Usui-san, stood and took Ren's face in his hands. Ren glared at him. "I don't think so… He is… priceless… I'd say I'm paying you to little…"

"Well, my friend I must say, two silver pieces _is_ a lot…" Usui-san held up his hand and reached into his pouch. He handed the contents to Ren's father.

En gasped as he looked at the objects. "Th-Three gold pieces…?"

Usui-san smiled lightly. "It's… all I have…"

Ren's eyes widened. He stood abruptly. "If it's all you have than why are you paying him that?! You could have just paid him the original amount… Because… I'm… I'm not even worth that much!"

En grabbed the boy's collar. "You will NOT talk back to your new master, boy!!!" He raised his hand to slap Ren… But another hand stopped the oncoming blow…

Usui-san glared dangerously at En. "It is also illegal to touch a slave that does not belong to you… Tao En-san…"

En wrenched his hand from Usui-san's grip. "Fine… But I suggest you punish him as you see fit… If he puts one hair out of line… you use this…" He handed the shorter man a whip.

Usui-san took Ren's hand and squeezed it lightly, almost reassuring him that the weapon would never be used… "Arigatou… En-san…" He pulled Ren to the door and let it slam on their way out. About ten feet from the house, Usui-san stopped and stared at En's 'gift'… Ren wanted to shrink. That whip had hit him so many a time that he shivered at the very sight of it… Usui-san unrolled the whip and grasped the handle tightly. He did the same to Ren's hand.

Ren wanted to die… "I-Iie!" Usui-san pulled Ren's hand toward him and Ren's cringed. The waited blow never came. Instead the handle of the weapon was pressed into his hand. He looked up into sincere blue eyes.

"Use it." He said simply.

"N-nani…?"

Usui-san pulled up his jacket and shirt that he had worn. "…On me… It will reassure you… I know it…"

Ren blinked. "J-…Just once… ne?"

"As many times as you need…" Usui-san closed his eyes. Ren stared in at the tall blue haired boy, then glanced down at the whip. He raised the whip… and brought it down on the taller boy's stomach… Usui-san didn't even wince. Ren brought it down again. The sickening smack stayed with the Tongari-sporting child. He continued to whip the older bluenette until he realized…

He was NOT enjoying this at all…

He collapsed slowly in the tears that he had held in for the past few hours. "A-And just w-what was this… act o-of stupidity… s-supposed to reassure me of…?" He said between slightly bitter sobs.

Usui-san pulled his shirt down and took Ren into his arms. "…That you could trust me…" Ren sniffed and buried his face into Usui-san's chest. "I never did ask you… what your name was… Tao-chan"

Ren bristled slightly at the chan Usui-san had tacked to the end of his name. "I-It's Ren… Tao Ren… Don't call me… Tao-_chan_…"

Usui-san smiled. "Okay… Ren-san… My name is Horokeu Usui… You may either call me HoroHoro or just Horo… Usui-san is way too formal…"

Ren smirked. "May I call you 'Hero'?" He grasped Horo tightly around the waist. "You _are_ my hero after all…"

"If you want…"

*

The next few hours were nothing but walking on the snowy hills. "I hate to ask again Horo-kun, demo… are we THERE YET???"

Horo turned and smiled lightly. "Would you like to get there faster?"

"Hai!" Ren shouted. He was swiftly picked up in a set of warm arms. Horo had pulled a snowboard out of nowhere. Ren squeaked and held on tight to Horo. Speeding through trees and over the ice had done a number on Ren mentally. When they got to the cabin… that was out in the middle of nowhere, no less… Ren had a white-knuckle grip on Horo's shirt.

"Ren-chan… we're here!"

Ren's frozen hands finally let up on Horo's shirt. "Wh…WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???" Not soon after did the tired boy pass out.

*

'Where… am I?' Ren's eyes didn't want to open… he was exhausted… he rolled over… his body suddenly feeling where he was…

'I'm… in a bed???' Ren sat up quickly. He was wearing a pair of pajama's the were far from familiar… he then realized something else…

'Where… is my… underwear?!' Horo then walked into the room.

"Ohayo-hi Ren-chan!" He jumped on the bed and straddled the smaller boy. Ren squeaked as something pressed against his groin. "Gee… That's a _fine _good morning…" Horo dragged out the word 'fine' and rocked his hips slowly against Ren's. Ren threw his head back and bit his lip.

'Iie… please Kami-sama… not now…'

"Don't!!!" Ren tried to shove Horo away. This only succeeded in making Horo push closer to him.

"Ren… Not today… I won't do it today… but you'll want it soon…" Horo hopped off the bed, but not before kissing Ren on the cheek. Ren blushed and looked down. Strangely there lay a solitary feather where Horo had just sat…

*

To be continued!

-Ran Ishikawa


	2. Mixed Emotions

My Angel in the Dark

Author: Ran Ishikawa

Rating: R (Cos FF.net SUX!!!)

Summary: Next Chapter! Quickest one I've had up all my life! Hai, I agree Ren WAS very OOC in the other chapter, but this will all change now! Ren contemplates what Horo said him, and the feather and what meaning it holds. After hearing Horo scream in his sleep, does he really want to know?

Feather Two: Mixed Emotions

Hours later found Ren holding the single feather close… '"Ren… Not today… I won't do it today… but you'll want it soon…"' Ren's face flushed as he remembered Horo's words. He glanced gloomily at the feather.

'Who does he think he is anyway?!' Ren sat up and went to stare out the window.

"Ran-san? It's past nightfall, don't you wanna sleep?" Horo popped up out of nowhere again.

Ren stared at him with rage. "You can't tell me what to do!"

Horo stared. "I didn't tell you to do it… I just suggested it. The _is_ a difference Ren-chan!" Ren steamed.

"And DON'T call me that!!!" Ren slapped Horo across the face. "It's… It's too deep… of a meaning to call me that, Baka!"

Horo glared at Ren. He walked slowly towards him and grabbed his wrists. Ren's eyes widened. "Just because you free from your family does NOT mean that you do not belong to me, Ren… I will call you what I want, and you will NOT touch me harshly again… Or I may have to use your 'father's little 'present'…"

"I... Iie… G-Gomen… I just haven't been free to do as I please since I was born… My sister hates me because my mother died giving life to me… She says it's my fault… that's why my father would do anything to get rid of me… that's why he sold me to you…" Ren took in a slightly shuddering breath.

He looked up at Horo… who was bawling his eyes out, by the way… "Th-That's so sad!!!" He glomped Ren tightly. "Gomen nasai!!! Sumimasen!!!" Ren laid his head back and let Horo fake-cry. Horo sniffed and wiped his eyes. "Oh well… you're safe now, ne??? No get some rest! You'll need it." Horo left the room (Read bounded out in happiness). He ran back in and stole kiss from Ren. "Oyasumi!" He ran out again.

Ren Glared at his retreating form. Hesitant, he went back to sleep, hoping the Horo wouldn't jump him in the middle of the night…

_Ren lay on his back, sweat dancing down his forehead. Ghostly finger traced their way down his spine, stopping only above the hem of his pants. Kisses rained on his face and neck, slowly working their way downwards to his navel. Horo's tongue dipped in the hole, lightly teasing Ren._

_Horo's talented fingers undid the string holding Ren's pants up. He, being the stronger of the two, easily picked Ren up and sat him in his lap, Horo's erection obvious against the inside of his thighs. Ren leaned his head back on Horo's shoulder giving Horo more access to his neck. One wandering hand made its way under the hem of Ren's loose-but-certainly-not-hiding-anything pants, and grasped a hold of the hardened member._

_Ren's back arched and Horo slowly leaned forward, forcing Ren in a bent position. He pulled back and drew Ren's pants off slowly, torturing the boy more to the peak of pleasure. Horo nuzzled in between the bare boy's thighs, making sure his hair brushed against the hard erection of the smaller boy._

_"Scream for me Ren-chan…" Horo dipped his tongue in the tight ring of muscle of Ren's entrance and worked his way to Ren's member. He flipped over onto his back and kissed the tip of it and blew on it lightly. "Beg for it Ren-chan…"_

_Ren gasped as the extremities of his expectancy's of pleasure were reached and far passed. "Onegai… Horo-kun…"_

_"As you wish…" Horo smirked. "Ren-chan…" He ran his tongue along the underside of Ren's hardened member… and took it in his mouth… Ren screamed and tried to thrust deep into the warm cavity, but Horo hugged his legs in place and flipped then over again, Ren on his back once more._

_"Horo… please… I need to…"_

_"Need to what?" Horo asked playing with the head of the pulsating shaft. Ren whined and buried his fingers in Horo's hair._

_"O-Onegai… I need to… I need to cum! Please Horo!"_

_"Horo what?"_

_Ren screamed. "Horo-kun! Don't tease me… Onegai…" Horo smiled._

_Rising up slightly, he placed a hand on Ren's cheek. "I love you, Ren-chan…" He kissed his lips lightly._

_Ren kissed him back as hard as he could, as weak in the body as he currently was. "I love you, too, Horo-kun…"_

_Horo smiled that happy smile again. "That's all I need from you Ren…" His hand wandered back to Ren's nether regions again. Slowly he pumped the shaft._

_"Nnnah! Horo-kun!" Ren screamed._

_Horo grinned. "That's right Ren… Cry out… I need to hear you…" He slipped down the smaller boy's body… and swallowed him whole… Ren bucked his hips up and Horo let him… Horo moaned and the vibrations were sent coursing through Ren's member._

_Ren cried out as he bucked his hips again…_

And he came…

Ren's eyes shot open and he wiped the sweat off his brow. He shot up quickly and his eyes darted around the room, looking for Horo. He saw he wasn't there. "It… must have been a dream…" He looked down slightly and blushed. "It was so real though…" He suddenly gasped realizing something.

'With a dream like that… it could only mean… Oh no!' He lifted the covers up slowly as if afraid to discover something… and discover something, he did… "Oh shit…"

Five minutes later Ren stalked out of his room, slowly, carrying the bed sheets and quilt with him. There had to be washroom in here somewhere… ne? He looked down one hallway and saw a tiled wall. 'That must be it…' He wanted to run but was afraid he would wake someone up… He decided to run; he didn't care if Horo woke up, anyway. 'He'd deserve it… making me dream something like… like _that_…' He was almost to the washroom…

When two strong arms wrapped around him… one around his arms and waist, the other came up to cover his mouth… Ren tried to scream but a husky voice whispered slowly in his ear. "Don't scream… I just want to ask you some questions…"

Ren hesitated then nodded. The arms let him go and he turned around fast. A boy that looked about his age, maybe one year older, faced him. Dark brown hair flowed lightly in a seemingly nonexistent wind…

…Did I mention he had white wings???

Ren fell over onto the floor with surprise. "Wh-what are you?!" He asked.

The boy sat cross-legged in front of him. "Gomen ne… Do I frighten you?"

Ren blushed. "I-Iie! You just… surprised me a little…" He coughed lightly. "Anyway, you didn't answer my question… What are you?"

The boy smiled sleepily. "I'm Yoh!"

"Yoh… as in 'leaf'? (1)" Yoh fell over.

"No, Yoh's my name!" It was Ren's turn to fall over.

"You still haven't told me what you are!!!" Yoh tackled him and put a hand over his mouth.

He put a finger to his lips. "Shh! Don't wake Horo-san!" He sat back up and sighed lightly. "I'm an Angel if you must know… Now please calm down… I'm just here to ask a few questions of Horo new lover, nothing more…"

Ren's eyebrow twitched.

'L-…Lover???' His thoughts kicked on back to the dream… "Agh… We're… not lovers! He just… bought me from my sadistic family… Saved my life…"

Yoh blinked. He crawled towards the smaller boy and wrapped his arms around him. "He saved your life Ren… Why don't you… in turn… save his?"

Ren pushed away. "Oi! Just because he saved me doesn't mean I should have to love him!!! None of that matters! He's my friend, I'll give him that, demo…" A noise from the room down the hall suddenly broke into their conversation. Yoh held tighter to Ren, who blushed and shoved him off. He walked slowly to the room and pushed open the door…

Ren's face paled.

Horo floated above the bed, arms drooping slightly. He, too, had wings, but they weren't the same as Yoh's. His wings may, once, have been white, but now they were an ugly reddish brown… Obviously covered in blood. He could make out a few pure white feathers. He blinked and pulled the feather he had had from before and stared at it.

"It's starting…" Yoh said from behind him. Ren turned around his eyes still wide. Yoh frowned and looked dim for the first time that evening. "He will soon loose them all… and everything that matters to him in the world…" Ren stared in hurt…

All this confusion had to stop sooner or later…

Review nicely please!

-Ran Ishikawa


	3. Confessions of an Angel

My Angel in the Dark

Author: Ran Ishikawa

Rating: R

Summary: The rest of the Akuneko are very accustomed to threats… Gee… some friends I have… Anywho… What secret is Horo hiding? And why didn't he want Ren to know? Do I ask too many questions? Really, tell me… … I do kinda pity Ren at the end of his dream… for one thing, it was _only_ a dream… and for another… I made sure in _advanced_ that he wasn't wearing any underwear… XD

BTW

Last Chapter:

(1) The kanji for 'Yoh' means leaf in case you didn't know… forgot to add that… Gomen…

Feather Three: Confessions of an Angel

Ren stared at the marred angel floating above his bed. He walked forward and brought hand to touch the blood matted wings… Another pure white feather floated down to the bed. Ren picked it up and examined it closely. He slowly turned to the frowning boy and asked, "These feathers… Do they have something to do with what he's going through?"

Yoh nodded, and walked out of the room. Ren put a hand on the writhing angel's face. "Horo… How can I save you?"

Yoh sat in the big living room and listened to the sound of the wind and snow outside. A small hand was placed on his shoulder. Yoh smiled. "Manta-chan… you know you shouldn't be here… Kami-sama will be angered…"

The small angel, Manta, fluttered slightly and landed next to Yoh. "Yoh-kun… I couldn't leave you to deal with this alone… Besides… If I'm cursed the same as Horo for disobeying him, I've already got my lover to restore my wings…" He nuzzled Yoh's shoulder, the highest point he could reach. Yoh wrapped an arm around Manta, who sobbed quietly. "Horo isn't gonna die… Is he?"

Yoh looked down at the smaller boy, then to the floor. "I can't be sure… It's up to Ren, really…" Manta buried his face into Yoh's chest. The door to Horo's room opened, breaking the gloomy silence. "Speak of the devil…"

Ren walked in, holding the two feathers close to his chest. "Please… somebody… explain to me what's going on…?" Ren quivered slightly, then fell softly to the floor.

_Where am I…?_ Were Ren's first coherent thoughts. He didn't want to open his eyes because his head hurt so much. He moved a little and than felt something on his forehead. 'Wetness…?' He reached up and felt a cloth of some kind that seemed to be folded neatly and placed there with an almost tender feeling. Ren sat up slowly… and looked a very distraught Horo straight in the eye… "Ack!!!" Ren jumped back and hit his head on the arm of the couch. "Itai! Horo!!!"

"Gomen ne…Ren-san… anou… are you alright?" He asked reaching for Ren's face and cupping it lightly.

"Yeah… demo… I had a weird dream while I was out… Something about…" He paused and looked down. "… You being a dying angel or something… I can't really remember… It's stupid though… just forget it…"

He looked back up towards Horo again… who looked on the verge of tears… Horo leaned forward and put his forehead against Ren's. "Ren-chan…" Ren closed his eyes momentarily in surprise, as Horo got close. "It… It wasn't a dream… Gomen nasai…"

Ren opened his eyes as Horo backed away. Ren got a full view of him since he opened his eyes… the wings had returned… covered in blood like before… Ren gasped.

"Gomen… Ren… I didn't want to tell you…" Horo stepped back and sat on the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest. "I was afraid… you'd be scared… and leave… I… I don't want you to leave…"

Ren looked around the large living room, spotting Yoh and the little boy angel sitting on the love seat. His face saddened as he looked back towards Horo. Slowly he got up and walked towards the bluenette, sitting in front of him. "Horo…" He took his face into his hands and kissed his cheek lightly. "I won't leave… I want to help… really… Demo… I need you to tell me what's going on… okay?"

Horo looked up into Ren's eyes. "You… don't care… that I'm…?" Ren shook his head. The atmosphere was tense… until… "Yay!!!!!!!! I Luv You, Ren-chan!!! You don't hate me!!!!"

"Ack!" Ren was glomped and tackled to the floor. "Hey! I said I want to help! I didn't say you could rape me!!!"

Horo didn't move. Ren shuddered, as his breath got closer to his neck. "Ren… I'm going to tell you… what happen… in my past… Yoh, Manta… if you don't mind…?"

"Oh, of course, Horo! We'll be in the other room if you need us!" He picked up Manta and walked out.

"Yoh, you'd better clean up any mess you make in there!" Horo shouted.

"Shut up!" Yoh was heard shouting back.

Horo got up slowly and helped Ren up… by that I mean picked him up and pulled him into his arms… "You… sure don't seem like Angels to me…" Ren stated plainly, not even bothering to argue that he could walk to the couch himself… It felt nice to feel like a queen… 'I didn't just think of _ME_ as a queen… did I?'

Horo placed him on the couch and sat next to him, dropping his head on Ren's shoulder. Ren leaned on him subconsciously. "I don't want you to freak out all right? Just listen to what I have to say…"

"I will… I promise…" Horo smiled and started his story.

Flashback

"Horo-san!" Faust shouted. He drifted slowly over the heaven's gardens, valleys and hills. All because he was searching for the missing Angel. "Horo-san! You must finish your lessons!

Horo was hiding behind a nearby cloud. He snickered lightly as he sensed that Faust had passed his hiding place.

"Horo!" A voice boomed in his ear. Horo jumped and fell into the cloud.

"R-Ryu?" He asked as he somehow managed to crawl out of the mass cloud. "Please, PLEASE don't tell Faust-sama I'm here! He's giving me my last lesson on guardian angel skills…"

Ryu blinked. "That's great… Why are you complaining?" He asked.

Horo huffed. "Have you seen this kid I have to look after??? He's such a snob! He doesn't even cry! When he was born, his mother left because she didn't want to take care of him, and now I'M stuck with him??? I don't want to help some snot nosed kid that probably won't like me anyway!"

Ryu sighed. "Horo-san, that's why you're taking those lessons… And that's the point of being a guardian angel! You have to help him…"

"Help him what?!" Horo shouted, "Help him cry?!"

"Pretty much… yes… If you can get him to cry his hidden sorrows away, he'll be less… snot nosed, as you put it." Ryu smiled at the guardian angel in training. Horo pouted and glared at the older angel.

"Shyeah, easy for you to say… you're already a guardian Angel…"

"There you are!" Faust had put a hand on Horo's shoulder.

"ACK!!!" Horo fell over into the cloud again.

Faust crossed his arms. "Please come back to your lesson, Horo-san, if you finish, you won't have to deal with _me_ anymore…"

"Yeah, demo…" He grunted as he pulled himself back up out of the cloud. "Then I'll have to deal with _that_ kid…"

Faust sighed. "Please… he isn't as bad as you think…"

"FINE!!! I'll finish my stupid lesson! Geez…" Horo stomped away.

"Now remember, Horo, stay as near to your client as possible. Don't scare him away or make him mad. Do NOT under NO circumstances hurt him in ANY way." Faust hurried behind Horo, who was glad as hell to get out of there, three weeks later.

"Hai, hai, I know… What's his name, again?"

"Kitsushitara Kurara." Faust said.

Horo's eyebrow twitched. "Kurara? Written in Kanji that's… got 'joy' and 'suffering' in it, doesn't it?"

Faust sweatdropped. "Hai… demo… don't let the name say anything about his personality, though…"

Horo blinked, but continued on his way.

Ten minutes later found Horo walking along the crowded streets of a baron town. He looked around and spotted his target walking away from an empty alleyway. "Oi!"

The boy turned around. "What do you want?" Horo blanched in his mind.

"I just wanted to ask you… you're Kitsushitara Kurara, ne?"

"Hai… What of it?!" He screamed. He was very jumpy. Horo looked into the alleyway and blinked, slowly.

"What were you doing in there?" He asked innocent.

"None of your business!" He started walking away.

"Oi! I just wanna be friends! Come on!" He grasped the larger boys arm, lightly. Kurara pushed him against a wall.

"I DON'T." He let go and walked away.

'Well… there goes not making him mad…' He walked back towards the alleyway where he saw the older boy leaving. "I wonder what he was doing here anyways…" He said to himself. He rounded the corner and gasped.

A young girl lay dead against the wall.

Horo put a hand over his mouth to stop from screaming… another hand closed over his. "How did I know you'd come here…?"

"Mm… mmph…?!" Horo's eyes widened as a hand ran slowly over his groin.

"You are very pretty though… maybe… we can be… 'friends'…" He grasped Horo's member through his pants and Horo screamed… Well, screamed as much as one could through someone's hand.

Horo fought against the older boy, pulling his hand off his mouth (Me: But not his groin…?). He used his strength to throw the latter off of him. He stepped back against a wall.

The other boy turned. "You are stronger than you look…" He unsheathed a bloody sword. "But you've seen what I do… and you don't wanna be my friend any more, do you…?" Horo pressed up against the wall as the man lunged at him. He put his hand in front of him to stop the blow…

And a beam of light shot straight throw Kurara's torso…

Horo kneeled in front of a pure white bliss that was never again to be his home. Angels lined in a mocking circle around him. Faust stood in front of him, a grave look on his face. "Horo… You have committed the worst sin imaginable of an Angel of your rank… You have killed the client that you were supposed to protect… I have no choice but to curse your wings…"

Horo nodded a little before standing slowly and turning his back on his instructor. Faust looked away, and held up his hand. A soft beam of grayish light made its way to Horo's drooped wings. Excruciating pain shot through Horo's body as his wings were torn, mangled, and drenched in the blood drawn from his own body. Though he did not make a sound… not one gasp or cry of pain was heard from the boy.

Faust managed to look down at the beaten child. He winced at the look of him. "You have until you shed your last, clean, pure white feather… to find someone who will be willing to restore them. If they are not restored by that time, your soul will be taken to fulfill another purpose… Angels… you are dismissed…"

The angels whispered and gossiped until the room was completely empty. Faust rushed forward as the door shut and hugged Horo lightly, trying not to touch his wings. "Horo-san… I'm so sorry… I saw everything that happened… I had no choice…"

"Faust-sama… I can do this on my own…" He got up and began walking away.

Faust stood. "Horo-san!" Horo turned around. Tears could be seen forming in his eyes. "Ganbatte…"

Horo nodded and hurried away, slowly disappearing into the darkness…

End Flashback

"That guy was a rapist and a murderer… he killed everyone that glanced at him sideways…" Horo said, looking at his feet, which had seemed to gain him very much interest when he was describing his trial.

"That…" Ren pounded his fist on the small coffee table, almost cracking it. "That's not FAIR!!! Did they even give you a chance to explain?!"

Horo sighed. "They saw everything… about him… but he was me client and I killed him… it's against policy-…"

Ren jumped up. "Fuck Policy!!!! Oh, so if he were about shove that sword through your chest, you wouldn't even be able to protect yourself?!" Ren stood up and grabbed Horo's face with his hands. "You should have said something!!! Demanded a retrial, or something! What you did was only self-defense! And you said you didn't even mean to actually kill him!!!" He took in a breath. "What can I do to help you…? Do you need a lover? I can help you look for one! I won't let you die because you can't get you wings cleansed!"

"Ren-…"

"I will NOT take no for an answer!!! I don't care if you ARE my master!!!" Ren fell to his knees. "So far… you're the only friend I have… and I don't wanna lose you… All right?!"

Horo looked at the partially distraught boy.

"Please let me help you…" Ren asked, almost timidly.

Horo sighed. "Of course you can help… But I want you to know… It can't just be anyone…" He took in a breath. "It has to be the first person my heart decides to love… Has to be… _that_ person…"

"Then we'll find that person! We can look in the village! There are lots of women there that you could-…" Horo put a finger to Ren's lips.

"You don't get it Ren…" He pulled the boy into a hug. "It… It has to be you…"

I did it again… didn't I…? Evil cliffy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MWAHAHAHA!!! Cough anyway… Sorry this chapter took so long… It was originally on my dad's computer… I just got a new one (Old one blew up) and my dad hardly let me on his… So now it's here! Yay! Ja ne folks…

-Ran Ishikawa


	4. Denial and a Chocolate Sunday

My Angel in the Dark

Author: Ishikawa Ran

Rate: R

Summary: Do I have to? … It's the next chapter anyway… sorry it took so friggin' long… I mean yeah, I had time over the summer… just not one Internet break to put it up… -w- anyway… onto the chapter! Read to find out what happens for your self! I'm too lazy to put up and actually summary…

-Chapter 4: Denial… and a Chocolate Sunday-

Ren froze. Time seemed to freeze with him. Horo didn't move, the two couldn't even hear the wind. Ren finally ended the still silence. He leaned his head down and hid his eyes. "Me…?"

Horo sighed. "I am sorry… that it had to come to this…" He sat on the floor, blushing lightly.

Ren looked at Horo's drooping wings. How motioned towards then and tried to say something, but he couldn't find the words. "I… H-How long…?" He stuttered, surprised at himself. He was always taught not to stutter or cry or do anything beyond his father's order for that matter.

Apparently, Horo got the wrong idea. "Since I met you really… I mean I was already looking for you when I found it was you I was looking fo-"  
  
"No! No… I mean…" He blushed. '_He's loved me… since before the day…_' He gulped. "I meant… how long do you have…?"

Horo blinked and sweatdropped. "Oh… He glanced at his wings and closed his eyes. "Around a month maybe…" He sighed. "I hope that gives you enough time…" He stood and walked towards Ren, who had somehow managed to travel to the window and sit on the windowsill.

Ren shuddered at the closeness… and the cold of the window he was leaning on. "It… should I hope…" He whispered.

They sat in silence for a few minutes… just as Horo was about to say something to cheer the situation up, a small crash was heard in the room Yoh and Manta had taken residence in… Horo sweatdropped. "They couldn't be doing it THAT rough…?"

Ren sweatdropped as well. "They… aren't actually…? …Are they…?" He asked.

"It wouldn't surprise me…" Horo stated and walked towards the door. Ren looked shocked. Not appalled… just shocked.

Horo had only just touched the knob of the door when Yoh came bursting out. "HORO! Manta having another vision!"

"What?! Now?!" He stormed into the room. The smallest boy's eyes held no emotion… In fact they were pure white and staring at the ceiling. Horo stopped on a dime. "Shit! It's that bad??" Yoh nodded, a scared look in his eyes. "We have to talk to Faust… he's the only one who can fix this…" He turned to leave. Yoh grabbed his shoulder.

"Horo, your wings are cursed, remember? If you go near them, they'll kill you… I'll go…"

Horo blinked and sweatdropped. "Oh yeah!" Yoh would've fallen over had they not been in this situation… A small incantation, and Yoh was gone. Manta twitched and flinched, trying to free himself from his vision. They were not something angels wanted to be cursed with. Horo sighed and turned away from the young boy… and looked straight into a distraught Ren's eyes. "Holy-! Don't do that!"

"What's… going on…?" He asked. He hid his eyes with his hair once more.

Horo gazed at him sadly. "Manta has visions… all the time… they're usually not this severe… but it does happen once in a while…"

Ren nodded slowly. He gulped once. "Horo…" He whispered.

"Y-Yes?" Horo answered with a forced cheerful voice.

"I… I want to go home!" He dropped to his knees and grasped onto Horo's pant leg. He let tears that he'd been holding since he last cried… which felt like forever. "I never admit this to anyone! Ever! But I'm scared! I don't want to be caught in the middle of it! I hate this… please… I want to go home… I prefer that hell over this… it feels like your against your kind in a war… and I'm scared… yes Horo, I'm scared for you…" He shuddered slightly. "Help me… I don't know what to think! I CAN'T think right now! And it's… it's just…" He sobbed.

Horo gaped at the boy, who usually so tough and cold, now so scared and helpless. Horo kneeled down slowly and wrapped his arms around the shivering boy. "Ren… I can't let you go home…" He looked away. "But I can make you forget everything… make you forget me… and Manta… and Yoh… and what I told you… You can start a completely new life with your very own house… your very own life…" He held him tight.

Ren blinked. "Y-You can do that…?" He asked quietly.

"I can…" Horo murmured. "One last thing… Ren-chan…" he smiled sadly, finally looking at Ren, showing his tears that were traveling down his cheeks. "It wouldn't be… too much to ask for a goodbye kiss, would it? I mean you won't remember it…"

Ren contemplated this. '_I at lest owe him that… don't I…? I mean… he saved me from my father… He brought me here… and loved me…_' He blushed lightly. "Fine… since I won't remember it…" He said bluntly. '_That was too mean… wasn't it…?_''

Horo winced lightly. "Sankyuu…" He spoke quietly. He leaned forward slowly, giving Ren plenty of time to back out. He brushed his lips against the boys… and he felt his heart jump.

Ren also felt something deep within his heart. Regret…? Anger…? Nerves…? …  
  
'_…Love…'_

'_…C-could I…? I m-mean… I…_' Ren pulled back slowly. A single tear having escaped his eyes, he blinked the rest back. "I… ganbatte…" Was the only thing he could thing to say.

Horo nodded and placed his hand on Ren's forehead. Ren closed his eyes. '_I'm going to forget… I'm going to forget everything…_' He searched his mind deeply for feelings he should've told before this. '_I'm… going to forget… I don't… no… I don't want to forget!_' "Ho-!" It was already to late… He felt his voice leave him, and the scene before him start to go black… '_I DON'T WANT TO FORGET!!! NO! HORO!!! I LOVE YOU TOO!!!_'

Ren awoke with a start. He looked around hurriedly. '_Home… I'm just home… what a weird dream…_' He stood and stretched. '_Now I just wish I could remember it…_'

He walked down the stairs and to the kitchen for a glass of milk. "Can't go wrong with refreshments…" He whispered to himself. He had gotten half way threw a sip when a small fragment of the dream came back into his mind… Kissing the blue haired boy…

His eyes widened and he choked on the milk, coughing violently. "W-what the hell-?!" He shook his head. "I need more sleep…"

Faust sat quietly on the couch, the young seeing angel resting in his lap. "How are things, Horo?" he asked lightheartedly.

Horo shrugged. "Fine I suppose… beside the fact that I've just gone a step backwards in saving myself… at the moment I really don't care… as long as Ren's happy where ever he wound up…"

Faust smiled. "I believe you may still have chance, Horo-san…"

"How do you say?" Horo straightened up a bit.

Faust glanced at the ceiling. "You didn't give him enough time to decide…"

Horo blinked. "What? He had decided that he wanted to go home… I just helped him." He glared, suddenly wondering what the elder angel was getting at.

Faust sighed. He held his hand out, extending it forward, palm out. A small orb appeared and Ren's current life… Ren sat down on the bed, holding his head. He lay back lightly and closed his eyes, though still unable to get rid of the images of him and the other boy… Horo… Horo eyes widened as Ren's mind was revealed to the two… Manta suddenly jerked awake, and the orb disappeared.

"Re-Ren! Where's Ren??" He managed threw gasps and coughs.

"What's wrong?" Faust asked quietly.

"Ren… He's…" He took a breath. "Did he leave? Where's Yoh?"

Horo stood. "Yoh waiting for you back at the academy… What about Ren?"

Manta nodded and gulped. "If he's left it already too late… He's going to be killed…" He stated.

Ren made a frustrated noise. "Kuso! I'm never going to get any sleep…" He stood and walked back to the fridge… spotting the ice cream. "Oh… Yay… I'll freeze my brain… then I might be able to stop that… scene… from repeating itself forever…" He made himself a chocolate Sunday and sat quietly on the couch.

A small noise was heard in the corner of the room. He glanced over but paid no mind. He had gotten in one spoonful… when a hand closed itself over Ren's mouth, cutting off his air and slowly knocking him unconscious…

Cliffy! HAH! I suck!


	5. Take Me Away

My Angel in the Dark

Author: Ran Ishikawa

Rating: R (this one goes up folks)

Summary: I had a bet going with our band's drummer (Who's have way around the world might I add) that I would get this chapter up already. And now it's up! So… enjoy! By the way… I hate Anna… not just 'Oh I don't like her' hate, I mean the 'I'm hate her so much I hope she bleeds from every orifice on that pitiful body her muck-coated soul inhabits!!!!!!!!' hate… (I'm a cheerful person…) so I made her evil… Anna fans? Deal with it.

-O-

Chapter 5: Take Me Away

-O-

Ren's eyes fluttered open in the darkness of the unfamiliar room. His hands and feet were bound, a chain wrapped around his waist and he felt nauseated, slightly, by the incense that filled the room. A door to the left of him was ajar, casting an eerie bar of dim light over Ren's bound body. Ren could just tell his hair was tousled and his clothes were disheveled because of the not-right feel of it all… He felt his cheeks were wet, and he moaned inwardly at the fact that he knew he'd been crying… and his captor had seen it. He didn't like to cry in front of people.

The door opened and the dim light filled the room. A girl stood in the doorway. "I'll have to thank that hit man for binding you, later… I didn't want him to kill you… I want to enjoy your death for myself." Stated the abrasive female.

Ren's voice didn't seem to want to work. "…Wh-who…" was all the poor bound boy could muster. His eyes squinted at the light.

"My name is Anna… And your little boyfriend is at fault for what was stolen from me! I want to torture you to get back at him for the torture he put me through…" She opened a small box she had brought with her and pulled out a gag. "This will hurt. I won't lie…" She tied it around Ren's head, silencing any coherent speech. She then drew out six long needles. "But it will be worth while… So just bite down hard on that gag and try to enjoy it as much as I will…"

-O-

Horo's will for his snowboard to go faster was drowned out by his immense worry for his love. '_Ren… How could I do this to you? I should have argued! I should have… I wanted you to have what you wanted… my love… but why this? Why NOW?!!_'

He swiftly avoided trees and rocks bout couldn't avoid his guilt. He was only slightly distracted by a blur of black and green that showed itself in the corner of his eye… but he knew what it was…

"No!" It was a Dark Angel; the Angel's rival and, in times, it's worst enemy… It was headed in the direction of where Manta said he would be. "REN!!!!!!!"

-O-

Anna wiped the blood off her hands. "You're taking longer to die then I thought…" She removed the gag. "I suppose you should have a few last words…"

Ren struggled to speak through the pain. "Why… are y-you… d-doing this…? Wha- who… who were y-you… talking… about…? Who… h-hurt you…?"

Anna turned her back to Ren. "Yoh… was the one who hurt me… but I don't blame him… I blame that DAMNED Horo!!!!!!"

Ren had had six needles in his body during the whole conversation… and Anna shoved the most painful one further into his body. Ren opened his mouth in a silent scream. "That little boyfriend of yours is what caused Yoh to love that little seer instead of me! He took my love away from me… so I'm going to kill you… and remove you from his life!"

Ren shook his head weakly. "Y-You don't-…! UNDERSTAND!!!!!" He shouted in pain. "I don't know any Horo! I-I don't know who you're t-talking about!"

Anna slapped him across the face. "LIER!!! I saw both of you on that stupid snowboard two days ago… Your arms never left from being around his neck!" She sauntered to the door. "Oh, and if you think there's the slightest chance you can get yourself loose… it isn't likely…" She left and shut the door behind her.

Ren's eyes filled with tears again… Horo…? Horo who? Who was she talking about? And why did she think he had something to do with him...? The memory of the dream kiss came back to him and his blush became evident, even in the dark. He turned his head to face the open window and cried…

He jolted suddenly, feeling the needles being removed. The door had never opened again, so who could be…? He glanced over and noticed a green haired… someone… with black wings lightly pulling out the needles. He must've noticed Ren looking at him because of the ever-present smile that appeared so easily on his gentle face. "I'm sorry… did I frighten you?" Asked his British accented voice. Ren could only shake his head. "Good… My name is Lyserg, pleased to meet you… I'm going to have you free, please hold on…"

A few tense moments passed and Lyserg had managed to free Ren completely and removed all of the needles "Wh-…Wh-…" Ren couldn't speak.

Lyserg smiled. "I intercepted Manta's vision and saw you were in danger… So I decided to help you… I didn't think that Horo would get here in time…"

"Wh-Who…? Wh-who is… this H-Horo…?" Ren asked, suddenly feeling stupid. These people expected him to know this boy… but he hadn't a clue who he was.

Lyserg blinked. "Your gonna be safe now, so you don't have to act anymo-"  
  
"I'M NOT LYING!" Ren managed to shout. "I-I don't know who the hell ANY of you are talking about!" He tried to stand but dropped to his knees and cried silently. "I'm so lost… I'm scared…"

Lyserg smiled softly. "Okay… I think I get it…" He hugged the boy lightly. "He cast a spell… he wanted you free of this… Anna doesn't know about it… that's why she took you…"

Anna's screams of pain were heard outside the door. Lyserg's face paled. "Hayaku… we need to go… Now…"

The door shot open before either could move. A blue haired boy stood in the doorway. "I was never afraid to hit a girl…" He advanced on the green haired youth. "You dark one! What do you think you're doing with my Ren??" He shouted. Lyserg's innocent eyes filled with tears and fear. He spread his wings and fled the room. Ren looked at the boy.

"Let me guess… Horo…?" He suggested.

Horo's eyes widened and he glomped Ren "You remember me!!!!" H nuzzled his neck. ""You remember me! You remember me!"

Ren shoved him off. "NO I DON'T know you!" He brushed off his shoulder, blushing, because this was the exact boy he'd seen himself kissing in his dream. "Your name's just been said so many times it's making me sick." He blanched.

Horo sweatdropped. "Oh…" He sighed and sat on the floor. "Why are you so testy?"

Ren growled. "That boy you scared off was trying to save me. According to him, if he hadn't showed I'd be dead by now."

Horo glared at him. "I just killed that friggin' Harpy! Would he have done that? If she was still alive, she would've come after you again!" Horo grasped his shoulder. "I won't let you get hurt… You mean too much to me, love…" he brought the boy into another hug.

Ren struggled very little. "You… don't… get it… he was still trying to save me…" His eyes drooped slightly. "I'd still have those needles in me… if he hadn't come…" He then passed out. Horo sighed and hugged him close. He figured he'd passed out from blood loss.

"Ren… I do get it… I love you…" He held him, slowly healing his wounds as he whispered to the unconscious boy. "I love you so much… never forget…"

-O-

Lyserg hid in a tree in the snowy desert, tears rolling down his cheeks. He didn't care if he froze. "I hate these stupid wings… I HATE THEM!!!" He buried his face in his arms.

"I don't know… I think they're quiet beautiful…" Lyserg head shot up to the familiar voice. He glanced down at the ground.

"Ryu-kun!!" He cried before pouncing out of the tree and into the angel's arms. "I'm so glad you're here…"

Ryu cuddled his black-winged Koi. "Daijoubu ka?" He brushed a few tears from Lyserg's eyes. Lyserg shook his head and buried his face in Ryu's shirt.

"I hate my stupid wings… Everybody hates them… meaning they wind up hating me… the angels… just because… I'm their opposite… AUGH! I just want these horrid things gone!!!" He tore at his wings managing to pull out a few feathers. Ryu held his arms still.  
  
"Lyserg-koi calm down…" He pulled the feathers from Lyserg's hands and examined them. "I'm an angel… I didn't hate you did I?" He smiled lovingly.

Lyserg wiped his eyes and nodded. "And for that, I am thankful… but why someone like me…? Why would you want to be with someone that could get you killed…? That could… make them curse your wings…?"

Ryu hugged him and kissed his cheek lightly, whispering in his ear. "Because I think that the winds of change are blowing your way…" He held up the feather… whose bottom half had turned a startling white, deeply contrasting the black tips…

Lyserg dove deeper into Ryu's embrace in joy.

-O-

Ran: Done! And Domi-kun you don't have to write the Mary sue… I was jus kidding, anyway… and folks expect more recent updates from now on! Ja ne!


	6. Eternity with You?

My Angel in the Dark

By: Ishikawa Ran

Rating: M still XD

Summary: FINALLY AN UPDATE! I'm so sorry… :bows: I haven't been in a very good writing mood lately… anyway here's the next chapter just for you!

-O-

Chapter 6: Eternity With You?

-O-

Ren's eyes opened far after he'd passed out. He'd woken up in a bed. It was a four posted with all but one curtain drawn… that one facing the window. Ren sat up in the fluffy blankets, and the soft pillows, almost gasping when he realized that he was no longer in any pain… all his wounds had healed. How long had he been out? Ren glanced over to the window and paled… The boy who'd killed the Harpy stood there, bloody, white wings protruding from his back. Ren swallowed hard and didn't make a sound. He heard a small sob and feared that it had come from himself, but he stopped fretting when he realized that it hadn't come from him… It had come from the other boy.

The blue haired angel had laid his head on the windowsill, looking out at the sunrise… He'd been doing this since he'd had his wings cursed, always thinking… Would this be his last one? He also sobbed every night to the setting sun, watching it go down and mark the end of another day… of what might be his last day alive.

His face was buried in his arms and he sobbed as quietly as he could, hoping that he wouldn't wake his love… The one person who could save him was so close… but wanted nothing to do with him… The headband he so often wore rest at his feet, his hair falling down to cover his and the tears the disobediently had fallen. His bloody wing had one white feather left, and it was only a matter of time before they all fell… and he died with them… An Angel's wings are their most prized feature… Something as evil as blood touching an angel's saintly white wings is like hell, and if all the feathers are tainted, with none left to link them to their heaven, they are cast away into purgatory… Many an angel has gone there, unable to find the one who cold save their lives. Awful stories had been told of the horrid place… and Horo was scared. He didn't want to go there for the rest of eternity… He didn't want… to die…

Ren blinked and stood quietly, not rustling the blankets for fear of noting the other of his waking. He walked precariously towards the other boy, passing his wings by and hovering slightly over his shoulder. He looked out at the sunrise and dared to lift a hand, gently placing it on Horo's quivering shoulder.

Horo jumped and his head shot up to gaze at Ren sadly. Ren made no motion to move and sighed, holding out his arms for the boy he'd just met. Horo's face twisted in sadness and made no attempt to stop himself as he dove into the younger boy's arms and sobbing aloud. "Ren-chan… I-I don't… wanna die…"

Ren frowned sadly as well, rubbing the boy's back tentatively. "W-Why… are you going to die…?" This Ren had no knowledge of what was wrong with the other…

Horo sobbed again. "You don't love me… You're… the… only one who can save me but you can't… because you don't love me… I-I'm going to purgatory… my wings have been cursed… a-and I'm scared… s-so scared…" His voice dropped to a whisper as he buried his face in the other boy's chest.

Ren's heart felt like it was screaming, but he couldn't figure out why… He'd just met him, how could he love him…? Why was it that Horo knew so much about him and yet… Ren knew nothing about Horo…? "W-Well, I may… not love you now… j-just g-give it time, I mi-"

"NO!" Ren was taken aback by this. "That's just it! There isn't any time! There was a chance before but… not anymore… n-not anymore…"

Ren sighed. "Well I ca-…" He stopped… his voice sounded so… sad…? He brought a hand up to his cheeks and felt a foreign wetness on them once again… He was crying… why? "W-Why… am I feeling this way…? I w-wouldn't… normally cry over something like this…"

Horo sniffled and looked up into the boy's teary eyes. "R-Ren…? Oh, please… don't cry, that's worse than purgatory for me… Please… I hate seeing you so sad…" He rose from where he laid against Ren's chest and pulled him close. "I'm sorry… I've put you in a horrible spot… I deserve purgatory…"

Ren shook his head. "No… you don't… No one does…" He whispered, tears still falling.

Horo narrowed his eyes slightly and lifted Ren's chin to look into his eyes. "Ren… please… can you kiss me again…?"

"A-Again…?"

Horo smiled sadly. "Yes again… Before I erased your memory, I asked for a kiss from you… and you complied, just to make me happy for the last few moments of my life…" He smiled at the memory. "And… I think… on accident… that was the only memory of me that I'd left in your mind…"

Ren closed his eyes and blushed, looking away. "I-I thought… that it as a dream…"

"That's all it would have seemed to be…" Horo sighed and let go of the boy, leaning back against the wall. "I'm sorry… I'm asking too much of you… please forgive me…"

Ren's mind seemed to have snapped as his eyes widened and clamped shut. Images ran through his mind of a past that he did not remember at all. He remembered his abusive slave-driving father who'd sold him for money. He remembered the whip that Horo allowed him to use on his body for reassurance. He remembered how he'd first seen his wings… and how Horo agreed to give him a better life and make him forget… He remembered the love in his gaze as he leaned forward and kissed the other gently. But most of all…

He remembered his thoughts…

'_I DON'T WANT TO FORGET! NO! HORO! I LOVE YOU TOO!_'

He glared down at the boy sitting on the floor and kneeled in front of him, lifting his face to look his dead in the eyes. "How dare you!" He said simply. "You think you know me so well, just because I was with you for a little while, but you don't know me at all!" He pulled the angel forward and gave him the kiss he'd asked for. It was innocent, but slow, and as Ren slowly pulled back, he let more tears flow. "You… baka…"

Horo blinked, and his eye widened as the other pulled him into a small tender kiss. He looked into Ren's tearful eyes and cocked his head to the side. "Ren… D-Do you…"

"I remember!" He shouted simply, falling into the other's arms and crying. "I remember… everything…"

Horo blinked again and held the boy close. "Ren…" A smile spread across his face and he pulled the other forward further, hugging him tightly.

-O-

Lyserg heart beat fast as he and Ryu approached the doors of the Head Angels' building. He clutched onto the other's arm tightly and tugged him back a bit. "W-We don't HAVE to do this, I mean… I-I can just deal with myself the way I am y-you know…?"

Ryu raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "We've come this far. You'll be fine."

"I-I'm not… worried about me… I-I'm scared that they'll get mad at you…" He whispered.

"Lyserg… They won't risk doing anything to me, I promise… I'm next in line for being in the Head Council. No one else is qualified. Besides, the leader is a big softy and my friend… he'll love you… I promise… You're the sweetest thing since sugar… or dark chocolate… and nobody should be able to turn that down."

Lyserg looked away. "Tell that to Horo…"

Ryu sighed. "Horo is going through a very tough time right now… I have to apologize for him; he was only protecting the one he loves. He's just scared right now is all…"

Lyserg swallowed and nodded as the white door opened. Faust had been the one who had opened the door for them. "Ryu…? What are you doing here? And who is this?"

Lyserg folded his now black and white wings and hid behind Ryu with a small squeak. Ryu smiled and looked up to his friend. "Just an Dark Angel who's changed his ways… And is ready to use what he's learned."

Faust smiled and nodded, letting Ryu move out of the way. Lyserg looked up at him fearfully and twisted the hem of his shirt in his hands. Faust laid a hand on the boy's head and beamed at him. "Don't worry little one… I won't hurt you…"

Lyserg couldn't seem to form words. He simply nodded and sent a glance back to Ryu.

"You have to go in alone, love… I'll wait right out here…"

Lyserg nodded again and quivered slightly in fear as he was brought inside. His last image of Ryu was him waving to him, lovingly, just before the door's shut.

The young Dark Angel bit his lip as he was brought before the rest of the council.

One of the other members of the council stood up and glared at the boy. "What in heaven's name is _he_ doing here?"

Faust tightened his hand on the boy's shoulder. "He is here to get his wings blessed." He glared back up at the man. "Why do you have a problem with it? You've helped bless other's wings, I don't see what could possibly be wrong with this one…"

The second councilman stood as well. "Those were Angels, Faust-sama, there is a difference! That… That _thing_ is a Dark Angel! Our very enemy! A-"

"-Whose wings are already changing." Faust motioned for the men to sit down. He stood the boy in the center of the room. "Lyserg, I know you'd rather not have to do anything… but please explain your case to the others. Don't leave anything out… And I mean anything." He smiled and winked.

Lyserg felt a blush paint his cheeks and he nodded, looking down. "A-… A lot of things have… have started to make my wings change… A-A while ago… I f-fell in love with an angel…" He glanced up at Faust as if to ask if he should name off the Angel. Faust simply nodded and motioned for him to continue. "H-His name was R-Ryu…" The council began to whisper amongst themselves. Lyserg bit his lip and looked down. "We both new it was wrong… but he didn't care, and he didn't let me care either…"

Faust smiled softly at the boy as Lyserg paused. "It's quite alright Lyserg, please continue."

Lyserg nodded. "Later… I-I found a boy… who was tied down… with needles protruding through his skin… S-So I pulled them out of him… A-Another Angel killed the Harpy who'd done that to the boy and yelled at me to leave… T-That might've been the last straw… Once my love found me… and I'd torn out a few of my feathers, we'd found that they had begun to turn white… A-And… I-I thought that…" He looked down and sniffled slightly, tears becoming evident.

A third councilman stood and gasped in awe. "Dark Angels are not supposed to cry! They do not have the ability to!" Lyserg's eyes opened wide and he backed away slightly.

"I-I've been able to cry s-since as long a-as I can remember…" He stated, shivering slightly and looked down. "I-I don't know why…"

Faust placed a gentle hand on his back and smiled down at the boy. A moment later, he walked back to the dumbfounded council. "Lyserg, you may leave now…"

Lyserg blinked and took a timid, but brave step forward. "B-But Faust-sama! W-What about my wings…?" He bit his lip. Maybe he wasn't worthy after all… Maybe Faust had decided he wasn't as good as he thought…

Faust turned slowly. "What thing you should learn to do as an angel… Open your eyes…" He said softly.

Lyserg blinked again and looked around a bit… and caught glimpse of something white. He looked back again… and realized it was his wings. He smiled happily and wrapped his wings around himself, feeling the pure white feathers beneath his fingers. "Oh Gods, Don't let me be dreaming… Please don't let this be a dream…" He whispered, tears cascading down his pale cheeks.

Faust drifted back to the boy and kneeled down in front of him. "Lyserg-san… I believe you have someone waiting for you…" He whispered, motioning for the door.

Lyserg hugged the head angel lightly and headed for the door as he was told. "Thank you so much! I won't forget this!"

-O-

Ryu waited silently, but worriedly at the doors of the building, breathing slowly. He heard the doors open and shut again and he whipped around happily, "Ly-…" He blinked. No one was there… He let his wings droop a bit and he sighed. "Lyserg…" Had they turned him down…? Ryu was sure that Faust wouldn't let the council bend his better judgment… Maybe he was wrong…

At least he thought he was until a pair of beautiful white wings wrapped around him from behind, followed by a pair of small delicate arms. "Ryu… we did it…" A voice whispered.

Ryu smiled happily and turned around, looking down at the now white winged boy happily. "Lyserg… You're beautiful…" He hugged him tightly to him and lifted him into the air. He let him back down and kissed him gently. "I thought I told you not to worry… didn't I?"

Lyserg smiled and nuzzled his love. "I didn't worry much… though Faust was the only one who was really okay with it…"

Ryu smirked. "Yeah, the other's live their lives with a permanent pole up their ass…" He snickered.

Lyserg whacked him on the shoulder. "Ryu!" Ryu smiled and he and Lyserg almost waltz away from the building, holding each other's hands as if it were a lifeline.

-O-

Faust smiled and took his seat in the center of the other angels. The rest of the room seemed to be trembling with anger.

"Faust-sama! How could you so easily give him what he wanted! He could be trying to spy in on our workings and just that small mistake could ruin our hard work!"

"How many times has this been done in the past and it has not been for the better…?"Faust asked simply. "When the rest of the council once again became quiet, he smiled and stood. "I believe I have the right to rest my case… I've known Ryu for a very long time gentlemen… and it isn't like him to fall in love with the enemy… When he told me about him loving a Dark Angel, yes, I was shocked… but I had promised to understand… and now that I have met the young boy… for a small moment, I know what went through Ryu's mind when they'd first met… Happiness… There hasn't been a Dark Angel alive that could bring happiness to an Angel's heart… but Lyserg could… with tears alone…"

-O-

Lyserg's head reared back slightly and came forward with a small 'A-Achoo!' He pouted slightly as Ryu poked the top of his nose. "Catching a cold, love?" He chuckled, running his finger along Lyserg's cheek.

Lyserg sighed. "I hope not… I don't think I am…" He paused slightly. "Can… Can I even catch colds now?"

Ryu laughed lightly and touched the boy's beautiful white wings. "No… No you can't… not easily anyway… It has to be some kind of really bad weather for us to catch a cold… even with that, it isn't a bad one… unless of course that weather is made with magick…"

Lyserg blinked and looked up at Ryu. "Does that happen much…?"

Ryu shook his head. "Nope… only if there's another Hurricane Horo." He glanced at his love and chuckled at the blank, lost look on his face. "Ah, I see I'm to tell you the story… When Horo was a young angel, just before having his wings blessed to schooling, he'd followed some of the older angel's, myself and Faust included, and watched an elemental ritual… We all have stationed elements. Faust is Air, mine is Earth… as is yours… Yoh's is Fire and Horo's is… well water and ice. Ice mostly. He watched the whole thing and decided to conjure up some of his own powers… Unfortunately, we had frozen droplets of rain in waves for the next three days... We could only call it the infamous 'Hurricane Horo'. As for Horo, he was just happy that the nickname died out after a while… So don't bring it up when we go see him today."

Lyserg had almost missed that last part as his mind silently laughed at the doings of the Chibi Horo… "T-Today! We're going there today!"

Ryu nodded. "He, of all people, should know that you've changed… according to you, he wasn't all that happy with you being near Ren." He rubbed the back of the young angel's neck.

Lyserg shook his head hard. "I was trying to save him! H-Horo he… h-he didn't understand…"

"I know… I know, love, I know…" He pulled the young one close and sighed. "As I've said before… Horo is going through something really bad right now… and from what I've figured, Ren is the only one who can save him. Any threat to Ren's life is going to be eliminated as best it can without killing it… which fortunately wasn't that case for that evil Harpy. He'll thank you when the time comes I promise."

Lyserg sighed and buried his face in the other's shoulder. "He'll trust you… when you tell him that… right…? Because you sort of grew up with him… He'll believe you… H-He won't believe me… I know he won't…"

"Shh… Don't worry… It doesn't take much for him to trust someone… after he finds out what you did for him and Ren, he'll apologize… at least he'd better, since I'm standing right there… I believe I've told him about you, he may not have recognized you. I promise you'll be friends by the end of the day."

"Ryu…" Lyserg stopped him. "Can we maybe go see him tomorrow…? I-I don't… I don't think I can really see him today… I-I'm not emotionally prepared enough…"

Ryu looked at Lyserg calmly… and then sadly. "Lyserg… If you want to see him tomorrow… but never today… you may never see him… When tomorrow becomes today, what then…? Put it off once more…? If Ren can't help him, Horo might not be alive tomorrow… Lyserg this has to be done today…"

Lyserg's eyes filled with slow tears and he dropped to his knees. "Oh gods… Ryu… w-why does it have to be… s-so bad…? Why don't we have more time… nobody has anymore time… Something… S-Something bad is going to happen… We don't have any time… l-left…"

Ryu blinked. "Lyserg… what are you talking about…?" He bent down and lifted the boy up gently in his arms. "Come on… we should go now…" He closed his eyes and looked towards the heavens… and they were gone…

-O-

Faust sat alone in the Counsel room, all the others having left for the night. He sat and wandered to the middle of the room, seating himself cross-legged in the middle of the room. He breathed slowly, taking in the silence…

"Faust-sama!"

The blonde man was jerked from his meditative state to a sight he'd seen many times before. Yoh stood before him, a look of complete grief and fright on his face. In his arms, he held a small, fragile looking boy, eyes wide as can be and small twitches running through his body. He was having another vision… and from the looks of this, a bad one. "Yes, Yoh… How bad do you think it is? Bring him here." He stood and held out his hands, a large tile on the floor rising to be a sort of operating table for the medicinal Angel. Yoh laid the small one gently on its white surface and looked down.

"I-I think it's pretty bad… I don't know how bad but… I think it has something to do… with Horo Horo…"

Faust nodded simply and looked down into the boy's now frightened blank face. He sighed and leaned down, touching his forehead with two fingers. A small glow of light rose and fell, after which the tall angel laid his own forehead against the young boy's. Yoh had always hated to have to watch this part… Faust was the Angels' Medicine man, practically, and he knew exactly what he was doing… it had to be done with every Angel who had vision as bad as Manta had…

Faust lowered his lips gently to Manta's, breathing calm and silence back to the boy's troubled mind and body, bringing him into a comforting sleep… The tall man pulled away and smiled. "There… he should be better and fit to be awake in a moment or so… Let us let him sleep for now…" He led the younger, dark haired Angel away from the tile.

Yoh looked very sad for an odd reason that even Faust couldn't place. "Yoh-kun… Is everything all right…?"

Yoh quickly wiped at his eyes and he smiled, so care free, up at the other. "I'm fine! Don't worry about me… I-I'm just…"

Faust quirked an eyebrow. "That false happiness in your voice deteriorated with every second you spoke, you do realize this… right…?" He placed a hand on Yoh's shoulder. "Tell me what's bothering you…"

Yoh bit his lip and looked down. "T-That… I-I'll never be able to do that for him…" It was a tiny whisper, and Faust was barely able to hear him. "E-Every time he goes through these horrible things… the one time I should be there for him I can't be…" He let the unshed tears fall on there own accord. "I-I know that… you feel for him as I do… You love him as much as I do… but… F-Faust… I-I… you don't know how this feels!" He dropped to his knees and let loose the sobs he'd been containing for the last few years of his life. It was very unlike him to be this emotional… but I guess he was just keeping it all in… So much for Yoh being so laid-back.

Faust sighed and leaned down, wrapping his arms around the youth. "No, Yoh… I do know how you feel…" He smiled down at the boy, his sleepless eyes calm and unwavering. "I can only give him so much… I can only calm him when he is like this… that is ALL I can do for him… I'm not to love him, as he already has someone for that… and that's you." He ruffled Yoh's hair lightly. "You're there for when he has tears to cry, or stories to tell… You're there to make him happy when he needs to be… I'm here to chase away an image of something he's bound to see again anyway… But at least I can do that… If anyone should be wanting more, it's me… But I only take what I'm given. This is… This is enough for me…"

Yoh blinked away his tears and bit his lip looking away. "I-I guess… I shouldn't take that from you… and I won't…" He sighed. "I guess I'm just… a little jealous… that's all…"

Faust smirked. "Yoh-kun, please think about this… the kiss I give him hardly lasts five seconds… and it isn't even for the purpose of an actual kiss… whereas I am sure anyone would blush at what goes on behind the curtains when you two finds yourselves alone."

Never let it be said that Faust couldn't be blunt…

Yoh blushed deeply and fake glared up at him. "Oh, don't you EVEN go there…" He pouted.

"Yoh!"

The brown haired boy blinked and looked over at the tile. "Manta!" He ran to the boy and enveloped him in a tight hug. "Are you all right? That was a really bad vision wasn't it…? I was so worried you weren't going to make it out of that one…"

"I'm tougher than that Yoh, you know that…" He shook his head. "B-But that's not important right now!" He stood quickly, wobbling a bit and stood straight. "It's Horo! H-He's about to lose his last feather! He and Ren aren't even aware! He has to know now or it'll be too late!" Manta closed his eyes… but Faust stopped him. "Ryu and a new Angel are already on their way there, Manta… Trust me, Ryu knows the warning signs…"

Manta bit his lip and looked down.

Yoh brought his arms back around the boy and held him tightly. "Don't worry Manta… if I know Horo, he won't go down without a fight…"

-O-

Neither of the beings had moved from the spot they'd stopped all movement at as the blue haired boy began to shake.

Ren and Horo were still in each other's arms from the moment Ren had fallen into them… but a slight jolt made Ren wake from his trance. "H-Horo…? Is something wrong…?" He pulled away and looked into the other's eyes

Horo's eyes were wide and tears were running down his cheeks like waterfalls. "R-Ren-c-chan… I-it h-hurts…" He managed before falling into the other's arms.

Ren's own eyes widened as well. "Horo…! HORO NO!" He hefted the other up against the wall again and looked into his eyes. "Horo! Stay with me! Tell me what I'm supposed to do! Please… I-I don't want to lose you!"

Ryu and Lyserg appeared in a flash of dim light and were almost immediately at their side. Ryu spoke up first. "Has it started?"

Ren shook his head. "I-I don't know! P-Please, you have to help me help him, I don't care who you are!" He laid his head down on Horo's chest. "Please… I can't… lose him… if I do, I've lost everything…!"

Ryu pulled Horo away from the wall and looked at his wings. "It looks bad…" He sighed and brushed his fingers against the bloody wings… and gasped as he was knocked back. The bluenette rose slowly from the ground and began to hover, his wings spreading out and the last, pure white feather…

Slowly…

Sadly…

Fell to the floor…

At Ren's feet…

Lyserg found he couldn't say anything. Ren's eyes stared, disbelieving at the small bit of Horo that landed in front of him… Ryu covered his mouth and closed his eyes, trying to not cry. "We… we were too late…" He managed before the aura around Horo disappeared and he dropped to the floor, lifeless and pale.

-O-

Ran: WOOOO! Cliffy! Damn I need to stop that… and three power outages later, here's chapter 6! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! Flames are welcome, but merely laughed at.


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